Collins completes four-year "hat trick" at USA Masters Champs

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - All-time masters great Bill Collins completed an amazing four-year period of excellence on the final day of the 2006 USA Masters Outdoor Track & Field Championships at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte. The 2006 USA Masters Championships features more than 1,400 athletes from around the country ranging in age from 30 to 95+.

The world record holder in the men's 55-59 division in the 100m (11.41 seconds) and 200m (23.36), Bill Collins of Houston, Texas, handily won the 400 meters Saturday in 53.05 seconds, and the 100 meters in 11.64. On Sunday, Collins won the men's 55-59 200 meters in a blistering 23.44 seconds into a -2.5 mps headwind. Collins finished the race nearly two seconds ahead of runner-up Richard Riddle (25.19) of Arlington, Texas.

Although Collins' margin of victory was impressive, he said the race was tougher than it looked. "I have a little twinge in my hamstring," he said. "I was putting too much pressure on my right leg because I twisted my ankle yesterday. I wasn't really concerned, I just wanted to run a good time for the people.

With his 400m victory today, Collins has won the 100m, 200m & 400m hat trick in his age-group at the last four USA Masters Outdoor Championships. "I know I work hard and never take anything for granted and I respect every athlete," he said. "There's always somebody moving up and training hard and that keeps me motivated."

Collins now owns 84 masters national titles, 17 world masters crowns and has set nearly 20 world records during his masters career.

Other men's 200m winners today were Stan Whitley (M60, 25.00), Paul Edens (M65, 25.92), Robert Cozens (M70, 28.49), Harry Brown (M75, 29.58), Hall of Famer Mel Larsen (M80, 34.17), John Means (M85, 36.85), Oscar Peyton (M50, 23.17), Karl Smith (M45, 23.05), Aaron Thigpen (M40, 22.42), Ron Clark (M35, 21.94) and Antwon Dussett (M30, 21.95).

One of the most accomplished athletes in Masters track and field history, Kathryn Martin won the W50 10,000 meters Saturday morning in 39 minutes, 32.58 seconds and later in the afternoon she won the 800 meters in that age-group in 2 minutes 38.42 seconds. Martin also won the 5,000 meters on Friday and she followed those performances with a victory today in the W50 1,500 meters in 5:17.83.

Other women's 1,500m winners today were former University of Tennesse All-American Alisa Harvey (W40, 4:44.26), Jeanette Groesz (W55, 5:27.40), Marie-Louise Michelsohn (W65, 5:55.50), Willy Moolenaar (W65, 7:53.14), Jean Horne (W70, 6:57.17), Helen Schley (W75, 10:40.63), Gerry Davidson (W85, 10:55.01), Katherine Walker (4:58.65) and Jaymee Marty (W35, 5:14.85).

In women's long hurdles action, winners today were Kathleen Shook of Zionsville, Indiana, who bettered her own pending American record of 1:10.95 with her winning time of 1:09.38. Other winners were Irene Thompson (W52, 54.27), Rhona Trott (W55, 59.38), Barbara Jordan (W70, 1:11.49) and Susan Wiemer (W40, 1:12.31).

Darnell Gatling of Bronx, N.Y., held a huge lead in the M45 400m hurdles final when he crashed into the next to last hurdle and landed on the track. Gatling promptly got up and went on to win the race in 59.15 seconds. Other men's long hurdles winners were Masters Hall of Famer James Stookey (M75, 55.34), William Clark (W70, 55.77), Masters Hall of Famer Emil Pawlek (M65, 50.31), Philip Bujalski (M50, 1:02.07), Thaddeus Wilson (M55, 1:05.41) and Getulio Echeandia (M40, 54.34).

Women's 200m winners today were Edythe Leek (W75, 42.36), Phil Raschker (W55, 31.15), Nadine O'Connor (W60, 29.53m Meet Record), Kathy Bergen (W65, 31.74 Meet Record), Barbara Jordan (W70, 36.00), Marcus Santi (M30, 57.31), Renee Henderson (W40, 26.52), Joy Upshaw-Margerum (W45, 26.48), Lisa Daley (W35, 25.69) and Lisa Rosborough (W30, 26.80).

Men's 1,500m winners were John Hinton (M40, 4:08.99), Conor O'Driscoll (M45, 4:15.50), Jorge Ortiz (M50, 4:22.09), David Salazar (M55, 4:40.49), Frank Condon (M60, 4:47.61), Sid Howard (M65, 5:22.24), Ino Cantu (M70, 5:35.20), James Sutton (M75, 5:47.58), Bill Tribou (M85, 8:02.30), Frank Levine (M90, 8:27.69) and Julie Hayden (M45, 5:06.64),

After winning the M40 discus throw on Saturday, Glenn Thompson of Harrisburg, Pa., and the publisher of Long & Strong Thrower's Journal, won the shot put in that division today with a toss of 16.26m/53-4.25. Other men's shot put winners were Warren Taylor (M45, 14.21m/46-7.50), Richard Mulkern (M80, 29.94m/98-3), Champion Goldy (M85, 18.49m/60-8), Leland McPhie (M90, 15.75) and Trent Lane (M95, 14.58m/47-10).

Men's discus national champions are Arnie Gaynor (37.68m/123-7) Robert Humphreys M70, 43.02m/141-2) and Bill Hiney (M60, 49.97m/163-11).

In the women's hammer throw, winners were Georgia Cutler (W60, 33.64m/110-4), Carol Young (W65, 30.75m/100-11), Mary Roman (23.92m/78-6), Bernice Holland (W75, 16.01m/52-6) and Betty Jarvis (W90, 10.82m/35-6).

In the men's shot put, national champions were Sekenia Welch (M30, 12.15m/39-10.50) and James Barr (M35, 12.87m/42-2.75).

Men's triple jump winners were Nathaniel Carter (M65, 9.24m/30-3.75), Charles Richard (M70, 9.36m/30-8.50), James Stookey (M75, 8.86m/29-1), Don Drummond (M35, 53.36 Meet Record), David McFadgen (M45, 14.12/46-4), Brian Coushay (M40, 13.04m/42-9.50) and Mark Axt (M30, 14.71m/48-3.25) and Rod Weston (M35, 12.68m/41-7.25).

Women's triple jump champions are Irene Thompson (W50, 8.99m/29-6), Masters Hall of Famer Phil Raschker (W55, 9.00m/29-6), Ann Carter (W60, 6.56m/21-6.25), Regina Richardson (W40, 11.36m/37-3.25), Veronica Amarasekara (W45, 10.34m/33-11.25) and

Kimberly Touya (W30, 9.53m/31-3.25).

Men's triple jump winners include Larry Rheams (10.25m/33-7.50), Bobby Terrell (M55, 11.22m/36-9.75) and David Quick (M50, 12.64m/41-5.75).

Women's javelin throw victors were Sheri Kidwell (W30, 17.72), Jaymee Marty (W35, 12.58m/41-03), Stephanie Scott (W40, 21.55m/70-8), Carol Finsrud (W45, 31.00m/101-8), Monica Kendall (W50, 40.24m/132-7) and Barbara LoPiccolo (W55, 25.47, 83-7).

Men's race walk winners today were John Soucheck (M40,51:42), Ian Whatley (M50, 1:01:00), Bill Reed (M50, 1:01:00), Michael Wiggins (M55, 54:55), Norman Frable (M60, 1:00:36), Paul Johnson (M65, 1:02:28), Jack Bray (M70, 1:04:22) and John Starr (M75, 1:09:44).

Women's race walk winners were Carmen Plemmons (W39, 1:17:09), Dorothy Slentz (W40, 1:01:55), Lynette Heinlein (W45, 1:03:55), Nanci Sweazy (W50, 1:00:03), Panseluta Geer (W55, 1:05:31), Jolene Steigerwalt (W60, 1:04:09), Joan Christensen (W65, 1:10:30), Shirley Dockstader (W70, 1:11:25), Katherine Marrs (W75, 1:17:33) and Miriam Gordon (W80, 1:23:39).

Men's high jump winners were Matthew Hawksley (M30, 1.75m/5-8.75), Kevin Bosma (M35, 1.85m/6-0.75, Thomas Van Zandt (M40, 1.95m/6-4.75) and Bruce McBarnette (1.90m/6-2.75).

Carl Shields of Brookhaven, Pennsylvania, won the M50 hammer throw with a toss of 49.29m/161-8) and Dennis Cameron of Reno, Nevada won the M55 hammer with a throw of 42.79m/140-5.

For more information on the 2006 USA Masters Outdoor Track & Field Championships, including the complete results, visit www.usatf.org.

Source USATF